Beacon Park, Detroit (And anywhere)
42.3345° N, 83.0553° W
Detroit has been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, particularly within its Black communities. With limited walking access to public parks, the community faces restrictions on how they can practise safe social distancing when in group settings. We spoke to six Detroiters about how design could help citizens reimagine all public spaces, not just one. Our project features an Asterisk Kit, a stencil with 6 points that measures 6 feet of distance. It gives citizens the power to transform the streets, grass, and sidewalks within their own neighbourhoods—in Detroit and anywhere that needs it.
About
Character is a branding and design agency with studios in New York and San Francisco. Our strategists, writers, and designers define, create, and activate systems that change behaviours and power tomorrow’s brands. Our submission was created by Manuel Dilone, Virgilio Santos, Cris Mascort, Gera Frascaroli, Veronica Höglund, Lauren Wong, and Andie Wexler.
Interview
Why did you select Detroit?
Detroit felt like an important city to consider when thinking about public spaces and their accessibility. Historically, the city has a strong connection to the automotive industry, but it has struggled to reignite the economic boom it experienced in the early 1900s. After speaking with a range of locals within the Detroit community, it became apparent that the city has limited access to green public spaces and that a flexible system must be created in order to adapt to the limitations faced by its residents.
How did you avoid cues of restriction, control or caution?
By using the asterisk, we drew upon a symbol that is familiar to many and whose structure inherently avoids restriction by not having enclosed shapes in its form. This, paired with our feelings that the symbol can become personalized in colour application and adapt to a situation, holiday or event, keeps the application friendly and engaging.
This is clearly a very flexible, and intentionally easily-replicable approach.
We used the example of Beacon Park to speak to a recognisable public space within the city of Detroit. However, based on the conversations had with local residents, we wanted to push the brief to create a more universal graphic language that could flex and be used throughout the city of Detroit and beyond.
Our asterisk system was developed in the hopes of becoming a recognisable graphic symbol and informational tool. The idea is that it could ultimately be applied to any space that would call for social distancing.
The asterisk system is intended to equip communities with the tools to facilitate social distancing in a way that is not prescribed by the amount of space. Understanding the restrictions experienced by Detroit residents, and the challenges in properly social distancing, we felt it was important to develop something that could work in public spaces that vary in size.
What, for Character, is the importance of public space generally?
Naturally, public spaces come in a variety of forms, whether it’s parks, airports or simply street corners. As designers, we have the opportunity to think about how these spaces can evolve with culture, communities, and human behaviour, and help bring that closer to reality.
Beacon Park, Detroit (And anywhere)
42.3345° N, 83.0553° W
Detroit has been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, particularly within its Black communities. With limited walking access to public parks, the community faces restrictions on how they can practise safe social distancing when in group settings. We spoke to six Detroiters about how design could help citizens reimagine all public spaces, not just one. Our project features an Asterisk Kit, a stencil with 6 points that measures 6 feet of distance. It gives citizens the power to transform the streets, grass, and sidewalks within their own neighbourhoods—in Detroit and anywhere that needs it.
About
Character is a branding and design agency with studios in New York and San Francisco. Our strategists, writers, and designers define, create, and activate systems that change behaviours and power tomorrow’s brands. Our submission was created by Manuel Dilone, Virgilio Santos, Cris Mascort, Gera Frascaroli, Veronica Höglund, Lauren Wong, and Andie Wexler.
Interview
Why did you select Detroit?
Detroit felt like an important city to consider when thinking about public spaces and their accessibility. Historically, the city has a strong connection to the automotive industry, but it has struggled to reignite the economic boom it experienced in the early 1900s. After speaking with a range of locals within the Detroit community, it became apparent that the city has limited access to green public spaces and that a flexible system must be created in order to adapt to the limitations faced by its residents.
How did you avoid cues of restriction, control or caution?
By using the asterisk, we drew upon a symbol that is familiar to many and whose structure inherently avoids restriction by not having enclosed shapes in its form. This, paired with our feelings that the symbol can become personalized in colour application and adapt to a situation, holiday or event, keeps the application friendly and engaging.
This is clearly a very flexible, and intentionally easily-replicable approach.
We used the example of Beacon Park to speak to a recognisable public space within the city of Detroit. However, based on the conversations had with local residents, we wanted to push the brief to create a more universal graphic language that could flex and be used throughout the city of Detroit and beyond.
Our asterisk system was developed in the hopes of becoming a recognisable graphic symbol and informational tool. The idea is that it could ultimately be applied to any space that would call for social distancing.
The asterisk system is intended to equip communities with the tools to facilitate social distancing in a way that is not prescribed by the amount of space. Understanding the restrictions experienced by Detroit residents, and the challenges in properly social distancing, we felt it was important to develop something that could work in public spaces that vary in size.
What, for Character, is the importance of public space generally?
Naturally, public spaces come in a variety of forms, whether it’s parks, airports or simply street corners. As designers, we have the opportunity to think about how these spaces can evolve with culture, communities, and human behaviour, and help bring that closer to reality.